Flexifloat Transport on Colorado River
Page, AZ
Newt Marine Services turns to Flexifloat to provide an H50 spud barge for transporting a CAT 313 excavator downstream of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. The excavator was deployed at river mile 12 to reshape a slough, improving water flow through the area.
This effort is part of a joint initiative by the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Park Service to disrupt the spawning conditions of the highly invasive Smallmouth bass. By enhancing water circulation, the project aims to reduce the still, slow-moving waters in which these bass prefer to spawn—typically when water velocities drop below 0.1 ft/sec and temperatures reach around 61°F.
Smallmouth bass pose a serious threat to the river’s aquatic ecosystem, especially to native species like the Humpback Chub and Razorback Sucker. The historically low water levels in Lake Powell during 2022 and 2023 allowed these warm-water, nonnative fish to survive passage through Glen Canyon Dam, raising ecological concerns downstream.
To execute the operation, Newt Marine used Flexifloat loading ramps not only to load and unload the CAT 313 excavator but also to serve as a raked bow for pushing the barge assembly along the river. Flexifloat hydraulic spud winches and a power unit enabled the efficient raising and lowering of the spuds, anchoring the platform securely when necessary.
